


100 Diamonds in the Rough

by Whenthereisawill



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2018-12-27 12:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12080739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whenthereisawill/pseuds/Whenthereisawill
Summary: I present to you...The 100 Theme challenge. 100 little moments of love, and fluff, and angst, and humor. 100 moments with all our lovable RA characters. Enjoy! Rated T for the dark stuff and occasional language.





	1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the 100 theme challenge!**

**For this challenge I'm supposed to write an individual story for every theme. And there is one theme per chapter.**

**I hope to post as much as I can. I might not be able to write all 100 of these stories but I will certainly try.**

**Disclaimer: I dont own any of these characters, except for Caitlyn Treaty**

 

***Update* Heyyy so this series is already published on fanfiction.net but I wanted to bring it over to this website as well. So if you think you be already seen these stories thats probably the reason.x**

* * *

 

**001: Introduction**

Horace held his breath in awe as he stared into her wide, beautiful brown eyes. He smiled warmly down at her, then laughed when she let out the most adorable yawn. She smiled at him, and he felt his heart melt. It was getting to be too much for him.

"Horace, I think you're drooling," Horace looked up to face Will. The Ranger was smirking with amusement and the knight just grinned back.

"She's just so adorable Will," Horace whispered, looking back at the baby in his arms.

Will smiled. He couldn't help but feel immense warmth at the sight of his best friend holding and loving his two-month old baby. It was the first time Horace had ever seen Caitlyn, and he had fallen in love right away. Will remembered Horace's face had the largest grin when Alyss brought her out of their room. Since then, Horace wouldn't let go of the baby.

"She really is," the Ranger said softly.

It was then that Caitlyn started fussing. She shifted around, and her face started to scrunch up in discomfort. Horace's smile faded from his face. Everything was fine with a baby until she started crying. He didn't know what to do when that happened. He could see it forming. Her face was getting red, and her eyes shut tight. Her mouth opened and she let out a cry. And then another.

Horace held the baby helplessly, his former comfort completely gone. He looked up at Will who was smiling. Horace extended the baby towards him, but the young man gently pushed his arms away. The Ranger wanted to see Horace uneasy for a moment.

"Will! Take your baby!" His voice was full of panic as Caitlyn's cries got louder. Something could be seriously wrong with the newborn child, and Will is was refusing to help his own daughter? Will just laughed.

"Horace, you aren't even doing anything," he knew that his daughter just got fussy at times. He wasn't really doing any harm by letting her cry for a couple moments more. "How can we ask you to babysit her if you can't even calm her when she cries?"

"I don't know what to do!" Horace cried out. He stood up and tried rocking the baby. When that didn't work, he tried cooing to her, then tried bouncing her. It seemed that her cries kept getting louder.

Alyss walked in from her bedroom with a frown on her face. She had heard the baby's cries and wondered why Will had not brought Caitlyn to her. Then she saw Horace pacing around the living room, yelling out words to try to calm her distressed baby, and Will grinning and doing nothing about it. She rolled her eyes and sighed, and went over to take the baby from Horace's arms

"Really, Will?" She scolded while rocking the baby. Will chuckled and shrugged. Alyss shook her head in exasperation, then looked back at her daughter with a smile. She whispered soft words and rocked her a little more, and to Horace's surprise, Caitlyn stopped crying right away.

"Is she all right then?" He asked cautiously. Alyss smiled at Horace. She liked how concerned he was for the baby.

"She's fine Horace. Just needs to be fed and put to sleep. You can play with her afterwards," She patted his hand, then turned to walk into the bedroom.

Horace smiled at the thought.

"You would make a very nice uncle," Will said to him.

Horace glanced at his friend and went to go sit with him on the couch. "Uncle? Would I be an uncle?"

Will nodded sagely. "Well, of course. You are like my brother after all." Horace nodded thoughtfully, then smiled brightly.

"Uncle sounds nice."


	2. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horace finds himself stuck in a situation, and Will promises not to leave him.

003: Light

Dark and tight spaces were Horace's greatest enemy. For reasons he couldn't explain, places as such frightened him. His worst nightmares consisted of being squeezed to death by darkness.

Oh god, Horace sobbed. I'm living my worst nightmare.

He and Will had but a simple mission. After a group of brigands had attacked and robbed the village of Selsey, they had hidden their stolen treasures in caves. The Ranger and Knight were to go into the cave, take back the money, and arrest all the bandits. Simple as that.

And everything had gone perfectly fine. Horace and Will had went into the caves. They easily found the stash of loot, except for the small tunnels they took made Horace uncomfortable. It was hidden in a sort of underground cavern. They had successfully fought and killed most of the criminals when they didn't surrender, and survivors were arrested and brought out to be sent to jail. The dead were left in the caves.

It was only until both Will and Horace were leaving the caverns when things took a turn for the worst. The ground had begun to shake and the cavern walls started to crumbled.

It was an earthquake.

Horace had been in one of the dark tunnels, following far behind Will, when the first shake happened. It wasn't big, but the sudden movement had knocked his torch out of his hand. When he reached for it, a huge rock, along with some dirt, fell from the ceiling and crushed the torch, extinguishing the fire. The total sudden darkness left Horace almost paralyzed with fear.

He closed his eyes tightly. He didn't know where his friend had gone. He tried calling Will, but no noise came out of his mouth. He felt that if he moved even a little, the walls would crush him from all sides. It was so cramped and Horace found it hard to breath.

Another shake. Smaller this time, but still made Horace cry out in fear.

I'm going to die like this, Horace groaned in despair.

"Horace?" A voice shouted for him from the vast darkness ahead. Horace's head shot up. It was Will.

"Horace! Where are you?" Will's voice was panicked and cracking. Horace could hear the Ranger coming close to him.

"Will!" He called out, his voice unsteady.

At the sound of Horace's voice, Will almost cried with relief. He turned towards the familiar sound and squeezed through the tunnels to get to him. He had dark thoughts of what have might of happened to his friend. It was a bad idea for him to leave the knight in the tunnels alone, Will now realized. He knew of his friends fear of tight places. That's why Horace was not moving.

"Come on Horace," he whispered, "we have to get it of here."

Horace shook his head. His breathing was quick and shallow.

"We can't just stay in here. Horace you have to come with me." Will's voice was getting tighter.

The earth rumbled again. More violent this time. Will looked up and saw the top of the tunnel crumble a little. This was not a safe place for them to be.

"Horace, come on!" He spoke urgently, and he starting pulling his friends arm. "This place is going to collapse. We have to get out of here!"

"No!" Horace stammered, "I can't do it. I really can't."

"You have to Horace!" Will's voice was fierce and determined, "Do you really think I'm going to leave you in here?"

The tunnel began to shake more violently and Horace felt his whole body freeze. Never had he been so afraid.

Will grew more desperate. He knew it wouldn't be long before the tunnel would collapse on the both of them. Horace's irrational fear was going to kill them both. He grabbed his friends shoulder.

"Listen to me Horace," he spoke firmly. "If you don't get moving, we will both die."

Horace didn't move. Will leaned closer to the him. His voice was gentle now.

"I know you are scared, bud. But we have to get out of here. Take my hand," he slipped his hand into the knight's. "Let me be your light."

Horace looked up into the dark figure of Wills face. He felt the Ranger squeezed his hand and suddenly felt an enormous amount of comfort. The knots in his stomach eased slightly and he gripped his friend's hand.

Will smiled with relief. He pulled Horace with him as he hurried through the tight tunnels. He didn't let go, not until they were finally out of the caves

 


	3. Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is just...sad. I love seeing my love in pain and love putting my readers through pain.   
> So, enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is something I wrote a while ago, so if you're smh-ing...so am I

**004: Dark**

Halt swallowed as he looked down at Will's unconscious body. The boy looked peaceful enough sleeping in bed. More peaceful than the screaming and cries that filled the infirmary just hours previously.

Halt heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Edward, the physician, walking towards him with a grim look on his face.

"How is he?" The Ranger asked him. He kept his voice low.

Edward shook his head regretfully and sighed. The look on his face made the knots in Halt's stomach tighten painfully. The doctor shrugged.

"Can't really say at this point. The poison was not in his system long, but I haven't seen any symptoms yet. Well…" He glanced at Will's sleeping form. "Except for the incredible pain." Halt growled.

"Can you do anything about that? The pain I mean." Again the physician shrugged.

"I did what I could. I gave him some warmweed and a sleeping drug. An some clove for his fever." He patted Halt's arm gently. "He will be fine for the time being."

The last four words didn't give the Ranger much assurance, but he nodded absently several times. Then he turned back to the bed his former apprentice was resting in. He sat himself down in the chair resting beside it. He looked at Will's face for moment, then took the young man's limp hand in both of his, letting out a long sigh.

"Im sorry my boy." He whispered into his hands.

He remembered that moment when Will had been shot by that poisoned arrow.

_Being a bloody hero like always,_  Halt shook his head.

The two of them had been tracking down some bandits right outside of Redmont. With a stroke of bad luck, they had been caught and surrounded by a small group criminals. There was a skirmish, but it ended shortly due to the fact that the Rangers had felled them with their arrows within minutes.

They had already gotten back to their horses and were headed back to Redmont when Will saw a man hiding in the trees. The man had a crossbow aimed at Halt and before the two of them could do anything, he shot. Will, who was right beside the older Ranger, moved towards Halt in a impulsive gesture to protect his mentor. The arrow buried itself deep in the young man's upper arm.

Since the arrowhead had gone too deep in his arm for Halt to pull in out, the older Ranger had taken a pained Will to the infirmary. It was Edward that told them the arrow was laced with poison. It explained Will's extreme pain and high fever.

Halt's jaw clenched. His condition was not improving. He knew that if Will's health didn't get better, he would have to make a very long trip to Macindaw.

There was only one person to turn to when all others failed.

* * *

Alyss hurried through the halls of Redmont Castle. It was very early and there didn't seem to be many people awake so she took that opportunity to break into a run. She headed straight for the infirmary door.

The first thing she heard when she opened the door was a agonized cry. The color left her face. She sprinted passed the nurses and into the room which currently held Will. Stopping at the doorway, she saw several people huddled around the bed.

Will was jerking around in pain. One man was holding Will down with a hand in his chest. Another woman was gripping his forehead, holding it down. The others were holding his arms and legs down to the bed, stopping him from thrashing around. Wills face was scrunched in pained grimace, eyes wide open. He gave another violent twitch and let out another strangled cry.

Alyss's breath quicken in panic. She stood watching as one of the men, Edward the doctor, used a small blade to cut a shallow line into Will's arm. Edward quickly took a small dropper and poured three drops into the fresh cut, and just as quick, a nurse came forward to tie the wound with a clean bandage.

Almost immediately Wills shaking stopped. Will sucked in a hiccup of a breath and lay stiff for a moment, then let out a shaking breath, relaxing his whole body. All the nurses gave a collected sigh of relief.

"Is he going to alright?"

They all looked up to Alyss who was standing at the end of the bed. Her face was expressionless but her eyes gave away the worry and panic she felt. Edward walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"My dear, we are doing all we can." He saw that the words didn't give Alyss an ounce of reassurance. He added "Hopefully Halt will be back from his trip to Macindaw with the physician that we all hear great things about."

Alyss glanced at him and nodded. She didnt attempt to smile because she knew it would be in vain. Edward nodded to the rest of the doctors, signaling them to leave the room.

"He should be better now." he said told her. " The fever has gone down and it shouldnt be back for a while. You can go talk to him." Then he turned and left the room.

Alyss looked back to Will. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. She walked around to the side of the bed and went on her knees so her head was level with his. Will opened his eyes and turned his head slowly to look at her.

Their eyes met and Alyss could see the fatigue. But he smiled at her. He blinked deliberately slow, as if to urge her to say something. Alyss sighed slowly and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She didn't want to ask the same "how are you" or "how are you feeling" questions because she was familiar with the answers. She opened her eyes back up to look into his tired eyes.

"Halt went to get Malcolm" Was all she said. Will nodded slightly.

"I heard." Even speaking seemed to cause him pain. The words forced themselves out of his mouth. "When did he leave?"

"Two days prior." Then she added "When you had your first seizure."

Will let out a small sigh at this. Alyss glanced quickly at him.

"Do you feel hurt?" She asked, concerned.

Will went to shrug then winced in pain. He looked at her pointingly, not wanting to waste strength to talk. Alyss sighed and nodded. She reached forward and took one of his hands in hers.

Dont worry Will. Malcolm is coming. Everything is going to get better." Will grinned at her innocent statements. He brought her hand to his lips. Then changed the subject.

"I don't see why Halt had to go all the way to Macindaw." He said softly. Alyss let out a small incredulous laugh.

"These doctors haven't done anything for you Will" she whispered. "They just dump painkillers and fever reducers into your body. You need Malcolm to actually rid you of this wretched poison."

Will kept silent at this, he couldn't help but agreed. He closed his eyes again and shifted, wincing in pain. Alyss felt a pang of regret. Upsetting him wasn't her intention. She leaned forward and put her lips under his eye, light and quick.

"Everything is go to be okay." She whispered. She was reassuring herself more than him.

She kissed him again. Will's eyes fluttered open briefly, then closed when the fatigue took over.

* * *

With no business to be done that day, Alyss stayed with Will while he slept. After half an hour of just watching him, she left the room to see if there was any help needed around the infirmity. She helped the nurses fold the linen and sheets. Then she went into the small children's care room to play with the sick younglings in a attempt to calm her anxiety for Will.

Two hours later, one of the nurses beckoned Alyss into Will's room. The courier hurriedly scrambled after her. She entered the room to see the nurse standing over Will. He was fidgeting and groaning, but his eyes were tightly shut.

"His fever is high again." The nurse had a worried expression on her face. She looked up to Alyss. "I need you to help me with the cooling clothes."

While Alyss helped soak the cloths in cold water, the nurse, Rose, told her of Will's decreasing situation.

"These bouts of fever aren't doing your man any good." She said as she placed the cloth on Will's head. "He is terribly weak. And none of our remedies are helping him."

Alyss couldn't help but growl. "Well maybe you need to make better remedies." she snapped. Rose looked up at her briefly. She said nothing but her eyes showed regret.

"Im afraid our only chance for young Will," She stroked his forehead fondly." Is your friend Malcolm." Alyss nodded sadly.

"Im sorry for snapping at you." she said stuttered. "I just...Its hard for me to keep it together when...I-I..."

Alyss couldn't piece her words together. The nurse raised a hand to stop her from speaking.

"Its alright darling. Think nothing of it."

Rose finished cooling Will's head and forced some clove in his mouth to once again reduce his fever. When Will settled down, she left the room. Alyss resumed her seat next to Will's bed, a long sigh escaping her mouth.

About fifteen minutes later, Will stirred from his sleep and let out a muffled groan. He shifted himself slightly, then felt a sudden flare of pain in hishead. He gasped and opened his eyes wide. The pain seemed to intense and he let out another low groan.

"Will?"

The sound startled him. It was Alyss, he knew, but the sound was so close. He turned his head towards her voice but saw nothing. It was pitch black.

"Babe how do you feel?" She was so close that Will couldn't help but pull back. Why couldn't he see her? Why couldnt he see anything? He felt a small worm of panic in his stomach.

Was it dark outside? Will painfully moved his head around, trying to look for any uncertain light. It scared him how he had no perspective of anything. He didnt even know where he was anymore. He put a hand to his face, feeling for his eyes. There was nothing covering his face. he touched his eyes and started.

They were open.

He began breathing faster.  _This isn't happening. Please dont let this be happening to me._ He clutched his chest weakly in fear.

"Alyss." He called to her in the darkness. His voice was very unsteady.

"Whats wrong Will?" Her voice was uncertain.

Alyss could see Will's panicked expression, but didn't know what it was. She saw his breath quicken

"Are you pain?" She asked frantically. She reached out and felt his forehead. There was no fever. She went to check his arm wound for inflamation, but then stopped. The words Will said made her freeze.

_"I can't see."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep...he's blind.


	4. Seeking Solace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think Will and Pauline's relationship (as mother and son), is one of the purest things in the series. And I don't think it's appreciated enough.  
> So enjoy!

**005: Seeking Solace**

There were times when it all was too much for him. He didnt even know what it was that made him feel so weighed down. He always though that over time, it would get easier. And he wouldn't have to feel this swirl of overwhelming emotion that left him in such a crippled state.

Will let out a heavy sigh as he walked down one of the many halls of Redmont Castle. He turned a corner as he made his way to Ranger Halt's apartment.

On days like these, the first person he would turn to for comfort was the beautiful Lady Alyss. Just her presence would ease the knots out of his stomach and make it easier for him to breath. She would hold him for hours and whisper comfort in his ear, and she always knew the perfect words to say to make him feel better. But to Will's immense disappointment, she was away on a courier routine trip.

But there was one other person he could turn to.

Will stood in front of their door and knocked. He looked straight forward, to the wall, but saw nothing.

The door opened and Lady Pauline's face came into view. When she saw the young Ranger, her whole face lit up.

"Will, dear" she said with a soft grin. She moved to the side and beckoned him into the apartment. "Please, come in."

Will felt a fraction of _anxiety_ float away from his body. He smiled and ducked his head in modesty.

"I don't mean to bother you. I just...I just need...um" He didn't really know how to explain why he was here. He couldn't explain what he was feeling. "Is Halt here?"

She shook her head. "No Halt left for a meeting just an hour ago." There was a flash of disappointment that crossed his face. He looked down and nodded several times, as if the words were processing wrong in his mind. He seemed to be gathering himself, making sure all his emotions wouldn't spill out. He looked up and gave her a small smile.

"That's ok. Ill come back later."

Pauline frowned slightly. She could see turmoil in his brown eyes and it broke her heart. _So young,_ she always thought to herself, _and yet he has such heavy burdens._ There was nothing more she wanted to do than to lift those burdens from his shoulders.

She brought a hand up to his cheek, causing him to turn quickly and look at her.

"Why don't you come inside." She offered him. Will shook his head.

"No no that's alright Pauline. I didn't come here to bother you."

Pauline smiled reassuringly. "Come inside Will." She said softly.

He shook his head several times. He was holding himself back, she could see the struggle in his eyes. He opened his mouth to voice denial again, but then stopped when Pauline's eyes widened in a warning. She wasn't going to ask again.

 _It's ok_ , she mouthed to him

Will looked at her for a moment, then let out a breezy laugh and relented. He walked passed her and into the room. Pauline smiled and followed him in.

"I trust you want coffee?" She called to him behind her shoulder as she made her way to the cooking fire. Then she grinned and shook her head. "Of course you do."

Will grinned back at her and sat down on one of the chairs at the table. Already he could feel the knots in his stomach loosen and disappear.

After a few minutes Pauline returned with two large mugs of the steaming hot coffee. She placed them down then beckoned for Will to drink. He took a sip of the liquid and smiled, the first real smile she had seen from him.

She reached forward and placed her hand on top of his. He looked up at her, a question in his eyes.

"Now Will," she said seriously. "If you ever feel badly- and I can tell when you do- you come to me you hear? I am always here when you need me." She spoke sincerely and firmly.

Will felt so much warmth coming from her words, he was speechless.

 _This_ , he realized, _must be what having a mother is like._

 _"_ Thank you Pauline." He said softly. She smiled at him and nodded. His eyes were back to the bright sparkling brown they usually were. And she couldn't be more pleased.

 _This,_ she knew, is _what having a son must be like."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this years ago...so i apologize for the shitty writing skills.


	5. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The backstory There was a group of potentially dangerous criminals, smugglers, that had brought themselves to Seacliffe. Will was going to deal with these baddies by himself, but a group of orphan boys came to him, ready to help. One of their friends had been murdered by the smugglers because he had learned too much information about their operation, and because of that, all his friends want revenge and justice. Of course Will refuses to let a group of teenagers come with him on a dangerous mission. But they insisted and begged and persuaded and finally Will gave in. These boys were trained in some form of fighting, and Will took it upon himself to give them some more defense technique. But when they go to the criminal hideout Will find out that the goods that were being smuggled were very dangerous weapons, brought from Toscana. Bombs. Before Will could warn the kids, the enemy set off one of the bombs and there was a big explosion. 4 kids were killed...and the rest critically injured.
> 
> And when Will was dragging out the dead bodies, he couldn't wipe the blood off his hands .

**017: Blood**

He opened his eyes and let out a violent gasp.

It was a dream but it still didn't register in Will's mind. It was all so real to him. The words kept echoing in his head like a mocking demon.

_You killed them you killed them you killed them you killed them YOU KILLED THEM_

I killed them, he whispered. He suddenly felt choked by the covers around him and his breathing grew ragged. He sat up and pulled the covers away from him. That wasn't enough. He threw them off the bed and then ripped the pillows off in violent movements. He still couldn't breathe; the whole room was strangling him.

_YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM—_

Will couldn't think straight. He sat hunched on the bare mattress, one hand pressed to it with his other arm wrapped around his stomach, eyes shut tight. Uncontrollable emotions blurred his senses and perception. He opened his eyes suddenly and they landed on the contents on the table beside his bed.

_Water clock. Book. Coffee mug. Throwing knife. They whispered to him._

_You killed them you...killed them you killed...them you killed—you killed—you you you you_

Stop. In a blinding rage, Will lifted his hand to throw the objects off the table, but then stopped when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and stifled gasped.

Blood was dripping down the walls. Starting from the corners of the ceiling, the thick red liquid trailed down the cabin walls, making a pattern. Will startled a little when he thought he felt something drip onto the mattress under him.

A blood stain. Just as he looked, another drop plopped next to it. He looked up to his hand, which was still raised, then felt bile raise in his throat. His hands were covered with red.

_It's you it's you,_  the walls accused him _. It's on you...YOU DID IT_

Will nodded numbly. The blood is on my hands. I did it. I know. It was me.

He slid to the end of the bed bringing himself closer to the wall. He stared at the pattern of red trails. It scared the shit out of him, but he couldn't look away. He was totally numb.

_I know. Its all my fault_.

_GOOD_.

* * *

"Will?"

He didn't move, his eyes were still trained to the wall.

Alyss walked towards him cautiously, stepping over the pillows laying on the floor. She kept her eyes on him, who didn't seem to know she was there. She reached her hand out and placed it on his shoulder, causing him to wince. He shrugged her hand off, but she didn't pull away.

"It okay," She whispered to him. "It's okay gorgeous, it's me." She reached out again, but Will backed away from her, lifting a hand to ward her off.

"No no, no..." his voice was so unsteady, as if he was on the verge of tears. "Stay away from me."

Alyss shook her head and gulped. She reached forward again and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him towards her.

"It's all right! Talk to me Will, if you would just—"

"NO!" He pushed her away with one hand, causing her to fall back a little. He scooted away, back to the middle of the mattress, and lifted his knees, wrapping his arms around them.

Alyss clenched her jaw. She wasn't about to leave him like this. Climbing into bed, she went to him, placing her hands on the side of his head, and gently lifting it. When he resisted, she used more strength. Finally, he complied, and brought his head up, but turned it away almost immediately. But the short amount of time was long enough to see the tears that streamed down his face.

He needed her, she knew that.

Alyss brought herself closer to her traumatized lover, bringing his head to her. He pulled away again, shaking his head.

"No," he gasped, "Get away."

She reached out yet again, this time forcefully. With one hand she brought his head to her neck, the other wrapped around his middle tightly. Will tried pulling away, but she held tighter. Slowly, he gave up, relaxing into her grip, and leaning into her pull. He buried his face into her neck and gripped her clothes as if his life depended it on it, he stifled sobs.

Alyss stroked his hair and whispered sweet words in his ear, holding him tightly. Then she thought she heard him say something, and leaned closer to him. "Say it again, babe."

Will shifted his head slightly so she could hear him clearer. He whispered "The blood is going to get all over you."

This startled Alyss. "Blood?"

Will nodded slightly, "The blood on my hands. The blood on the walls."

Alyss pulled Will away from her. She looked into his tear filled eyes, seeing the trauma, the confusion and immense regret. She took his hand gently in both of hers and lifted it up slightly, showing it to him.

"There's no blood, darling," she stroked his face. "There's no blood. Everything is all right."

Will looked down at his hand for a moment, uncomprehending. Then, he looked up at the walls and realization dawned on him. He nodded, his bottom lip quivering a little then looked down in shame and laughed slightly.

"Of course not. That's not possible. It's the guilt... I can't think right. I thought...I thought that..." He opened his mouth but no more words came out. Will clenched his jaw and shut his eyes tight, struggling to hold his tears back. Alyss pulled him in again, letting him cry in her neck.

"It's not your fault," she said. He shook his head, not removing it from her shoulder. He couldn't help but smile sadly at the false ring to her words.

"Ahhh...but that's just not true."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jfc my writing used be such shit. Tbh it still is...


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the wilyss love that keeps me alive and breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case anyone noticed (which I would be really surprised if they did), i already posted a Love themed chapter. But as I was rereading it, I almost screamed because AAAHAHAHHA IT SUCKS SO BAD. This story I had already written for my Happiness theme, but it seems appropriate for this one too so I decided to change it up. So there...if anyone cared.

**002: Love**

It was after sundown, and after a long day at work Alyss sat by the fire in her cozy apartments, a cup of tea in her hands. It was usually how she spent her evenings. With nobody to talk to, and no more thing to be done for the day. She usually didn't mind being alone, she enjoyed peace and quiet. But as of lately, she didn't like it as much. She smoothed a stray strand of hair away from her face, resting her hand on her forehead. She took a sip of her tea, hoping the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach would be washed down with the hot liquid. She couldn't stop thinking about him.

 _Was it strange_ , She asked herself,  _that in all the quiet moments in her day the very first thought that comes to her mind was_ him _?_  It wasn't the thinking of him that was strange. She thought of him periodically before their time in Macindaw, about what he might be up to, or if she wanted to send him a letter. He was her friend, and she valued keeping touch - there were not many people in her life. But this, the constant remembrance...it was different this time.

She had sent her letter just a week before. She had been bold, declared her love to him, and then endured days of no reply. What if he never responded? What if the answer he gave was not what she wanted to hear. Her stomach flipped with anxiety at the thought, and she moved her hand to press it. She knew that if he didn't feel the same way, her heart would be broken. And she would hate herself, for wasting twenty some years never telling the love of her life how she felt about him.

She took a sip of her tea, scrunching her nose in distaste when she realized how cold it had become. She stood up with a sigh, heading for the kitchenette to warm up her cup. She was just about to pour the liquid into the pot when she head a knock on her door.

Frowning, having no idea who it could be, she placed the cup on the counter and hastened to the open the door. When she opened the door and caught sight of person on the other side she felt her go throat dry.

"Will…" She breathed. "What are you doing here?"

He was dressed in a dark blue tunic, no cloak. His face was slightly damp. Not from sweat, and it hadn't rained in days. He must have just washed his face, she thought vaguely. His hair was mussed, and a piece of his hair, exquisitely curled, fell in front of his eyes.  _His eyes,_ she swallowed _._ The usually coffee-colored eyes were dark as midnight, twinkling as they gazed back at her like scintillating stars on a bright night.

"I-I"m sorry," He said, pulling Alyss out of her revere. "It's late...I came unannounced, I shouldn't have-" She stopped his stammering by pulling him inside her home.

Will suddenly felt acutely nervous. On his three-day journey, only one with was on his mind: Alyss. He had spent the entire ride planning what he would say when he saw her. He came to profess his love to her, and he had to be as sincere and genuine as he could muster.

When he had arrived to Redmont, he was dirty and exhausted. It was not a state he wanted to be in when he finally saw Alyss. So on impulse, he had stopped briefly by Halt's apartments - much to his surprise - to freshen up. He exchanged quick words with his former mentor, washed his face quickly, threw on fresh clothes and dashed out. When he stood in front of her door, he finally stopped. He cleared his mind from the frenzy of the past few days, and took a deep breath and knocked.

But when she opened the door, every thought in his mind blew away.

She was dressed in a oversized green shirt, and wore leggings underneath. Her hair was plaited in one long, untidy, braid what was brought forward across her shoulder. He had not seen that hairstyle on her since they were children in the ward, and he realized then how much he loved it. She was surprised to see him, and her eyes looked to him, a piercing grey hue he could easily get lost in.

"No no, come inside," she was saying to him. She brought him into her sitting area, and the both stood, rather awkwardly, until Alyss made a move towards her kitchen.

"Should I get you something to eat? You must be famished." Then she paused. "Did you come here straight from Seacliffe?" Will nodded, taking her arm gently, and pulling her away from the kitchen.

"Yes. But I'm not hungry Alyss. Don't trouble yourself" He smiled at her. "I'm not here for you to cook for me."

Alyss turned to him fully, finally asking the biggest question. "What  _are_  you here for?" She thought she knew, and her wame knotted up at the thought of what it might be. His next words confirmed it.

"I got your letter," Will said softly, finally mustering up the courage. Alyss looked quickly at him. His eyes were warm, and he spoke with a small smile on his face.

"You did?" She spoke quietly, suddenly very timid. Regardless of what he thought, She knew, he had come all this way just for that reason. Would he travel that urgently, on such a long journey, just to tell her something she didn't want to hear?

Will stepped forward and took her hands. "I did." He glanced at her eyes, and saw the uncertainty in them. He wanted to tell her, right then, how deeply he felt for her.

Before she could say anything else, he moved to sit on her two-person settle, bringing her with him. He retained hold of her hands, and looked once more into her expectant eyes. Pushing down any form of uncertainty, he spoke.

"That night at in the tower," Will started, and she already knew what night he was talking about. "I was terrified. Terrified of what Keren might have done to you, or what he would do" He swallowed. "I kept telling to myself that I would do  _anything_ he asked if it would get you out of danger. I wouldn't leave you in his clutches. Not again."

"But he was so smart." The Ranger's voice was strained, as if the memory pained him. Alyss squeezed his hand gently, not trusting herself to speak. "He used you as a shield to protect himself. Because I could never hurt you. And he  _knew_ that." Will smiled grimly. "He knew that even if you tried to kill me, I wouldn't be able to stop you."

He came closer then, taking hold of her arms gently, and looking into her eyes. Alyss looked back at him, regarding him with ardor. She stopped her gaze from flitting down to his lips. Until he spoke again, and her desire for him became overmuch.

"But if you did kill me, that would be alright." He whispered. "I just needed you to know that, in that moment...I forgave you. For what you were about to do, and for anything else until the day you die. Because  _I love you._  And when you wake up from trance, it would be alright, because I died peace in my heart. Because  _I love you, Alyss. I always have_ " The last words came out husky and unsteady.

The moment the words left from his lips, Alyss closed the distance between them. Her hands skimmed up his chest and wrapped around his neck as she kissed him fervidly. She felt his arms wrap around her tight, as he kissed her back with just as much passion. After a long time, Alyss pulled away, and were both breathless.

"I love you, Will." She said softly. She felt her heart ache when he pulled her back to him, touching his lips to hers in the lightest of kisses, a contrast to the one they just shared. He pulled her onto his lap, put his hands on her face, and kissed her again, this time gingerly on her cheek.

"I love you." He said for fourth time that day, softly whispering into her ear. "Always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MMMMMMMM MM MM...WILYSS SMOOCHES IS LIFE. I know i didn't do very well, but i liked this much more than that other sorry excuse for a fanfic. This is fluffy and cliche but at least it makes sense. And im hoping it's not too ooc.


	7. Give Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Horace have the best bromance in the whole series.

Horace's head slammed into the ground. He tried getting up, but the arm that locked tightly around his neck held him down firmly. He attempted to pull the arm away, but his opponent grabbed his arm and twisted it painfully, causing him to cry out in pain. The sweat that beaded his forehead fell into his eyes, blurring his sight and disorienting him.

"Just give up." His enemy whispered close to his ear, taunting him.

Horace tried to speak, but the vice-like arm around his throat blocked his words, and he could only omit squeaking sounds. His combatant chuckled, seemed to take great pleasure in his struggle. The knight tried one more time to escape, bucking his whole body, twisting and grabbing desperately with his free hand, trying to throw off his smaller opponent's hold on him.

But to no avail. The arm squeezed tighter around his neck, and Horace was choking, no longer able to breathe. Meanwhile his arm flashing with pain as it was twisted into an even more unnatural angle. He finally yelled out, hitting the arm around his neck desperately in the sign of surrender.

" _GAAAGHHK_." Instantly, he was released, and his opponent rolled off him.

Horace sat up, gasping for lost air, holding his neck tenderly. He groaned, feeling the bruises that had formed when his arm was brutally twisted. He turned his head to face the guilty man, glaring at him.

"Did you really have to be so vicious, Will?"

But the Ranger wasn't looking at him. He was sitting only a few inches away, his eyes closed and his forehead resting on his fist. Horace watched as his friend lifted his head, placed his fist on his chest, and exhaled a shaky breath.

" _Y-yesss_." Will hissed. He looked up to the sky, and pointed to it, shaking his finger. " _YES_."

Horace rolled his eyes, wiping the dirt and grass off his pants.

"It's not a big deal." But his friend ignored him.

"I  _won."_ Will had the deepest urge to jump up and hoot for joy. But instead he grinned and shook his head, incredibly proud of himself. "I beat you Horace Altman. In not just anything...but in  _wrestling_. In  _god damn_ wrestling!" He let out a bark of laughter and wiped his imaginary tears.

"Once." said Horace, totally unimpressed. "One time out of, like, twenty." Will dismissed it with a hand gesture.

"You're just jealous."

He stood up and wiped the dirt from his own clothes. He held out a hand to Horace, who was still sitting down, and helped him to his feet. He grinned up at him, and Horace smirked back.

"Oh get off your high horse, Will. You aren't stronger than me." The Ranger shrugged, unconcerned.

"Aren't I though? Who just beat you in a round of wrestling? Oh that's right. Me."

"Alright, then let's have another round." The knight challenged, grinning. He went back into the ready stance, but Will had already turned away and was walking towards the cabin.

"No, I think that's enough for today." He called behind his shoulder. "You must be hungry. I'll make you something."

Horace stood straight, chuckling. "Mmm...sounds like Will Treaty is turning down a round of wrestling because he knows he will lose. And he also knows he only won the last game because of luck. You hear that Will?  _IT WAS JUST LUCK!_ " His voice increase higher and higher in volume as Will walked further and further away, until he was across the field and Horace was shouting.

"What was that?" The Ranger called back, looking over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you! It must be the sound of my winning!"


End file.
